☺ Mooncake Festival Dinner ☻

Since it was Mid Autumn Festival on September 12, 2011 my family decided to celebrate it by going out to eat.  Other families even have a yearly tradition of playing the dice game.  I was able to celebrate this festival in Beijing, China exactly eleven years ago when I was still a student.

I expected the locals prepared an elaborate celebration for this festival.  I thought there will be a lot of food, fireworks, and the dice game.  The school organized for local students to meet & greet the "foreign" students on Mid Autumn.  I got to ask how do they celebrate this festival.  Their answer actually surprised me.  They said most of them usually meet up with friends or stay with their family, eat some mooncake and look at the moon.  I asked if they have the dice game.  They looked at me with a puzzled looked & asked what dice game.  I said, "didn't the tradition originate here, where you play a dice game on Mid Autumn and you get various prizes?".  They said those kinds of tradition might be regional.  I guess Beijing being in the north and my ancestors hailing from the southern part of China didn't share the same way of celebrating the Mooncake festival.  I hope one day I will be able to visit my ancestral land during this time of the year.  It would be interesting to see how they celebrate it in the twenty first century.

☺ Now on to our own food celebration.☺

Signage

The restaurant of choice was Peking Garden.  I guess we're suppose to have Chinese food for a Chinese festival.  I had a different restaurant in mind but then who would resist to eating good food. :)

Menu

Table Setting

The ever present Xiao Long Bao

Fish Fillet with Tao So Sauce

The fish is soft & tender.  The overload of fried garlic is a nice compliment to the soy sauce provided.

Sauce for the fish fillet

Fried mini "sliver thread" buns

It's just fried bread roll.  The restaurants give elegant names to simple dishes to make them more interesting.  I just had to order the bread since it's my favorite.

Condensed milk for the buns

Braised Abalone with Mushroom & Vegetables

The abalone was thinly sliced for easy eating with your chopsticks.  The combination of the mushroom & vegetable with the sauce completes the dish.

Mooncake for dessert at home

I'm already full from dinner but I just had to eat some mooncake for the occasion.  I had the lotus flavor with one egg yolk.  I still got to eat one fourth of the whole mooncake even with a full stomach. hahahaha  

Remember: Eat Live and Be Happy!

** Full details about Peking Garden can be found in a previous entry.**

中秋节快乐! (Zhong Qiu Jie Kuai Le)  Happy Mid Autumn Festival Everyone!

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao

I was able to try this restaurant last year.  We got lucky & got a table quickly for a party of five.  I'm actually very excited then.  Crystal Jade is very famous in Hong Kong & Singapore for serving delicious noodles & xiao long bao (steamed dumplings with soup inside).  We got to order a little of everything then.  Some noodles, xiao long bao, & seafood dishes.  After trying the dishes we didn't find anything special.  We thought the other Chinese restaurants we frequent are much better.  Unfortunately the Philippine branch doesn't compare to the ones found abroad.  My cousins are definitely disappointed.  They had such high expectations from the restaurant.  I thought at most it was average during that time.

Recently, another cousin of mine wanted to try Crystal Jade.  I told her of my previous experience & reminded her it's not the same as the ones found in Hong Kong or Singapore.  I thought, after more than half a year I might as well give this restaurant a second try.  So off we go for a lunch out in Crystal Jade.  Even now there is still a waiting line to dine in.  We got our table after waiting for 10-15 minutes.  We got to look at their menu while waiting outside so we know what to order once we get our table.  The servers are actually quick & efficient.  I think they want their customers to eat & run so other waiting customers can have their turn.

Table mat

They got an award for their Hong Kong branches.

Menu

The place is packed :D

Iced Honey Lemon

I liked this drink.  It doesn't taste like the candy.  

It's light & refreshing, especially during a hot weather.

Crispy Eel

Sweet & crunchy.  Both me & my cousin liked this appetizer.  We just can't get enough of it.

Garlic Prawn

Green Beans

Xiao Long Bao

Red Bean Pancake for Dessert

I'm not a big fan of red bean but my cousin said the one she tasted abroad was really good & she misses this dessert.  The outside is a crispy wrapper with a soft filling of red bean inside.  After I had a taste, I thought it was actually good but my cousin said the one she had before was better.  

My second visit to Crystal Jade was a whole lot better than before.  I think the high expectations made my first experience a lot less enjoyable.  I hope I get another chance to try the other dishes.  Until next time. =D

Remember: Eat Live and Be Happy!

Price Range: P200 - P500

Payment: Accepts both Cash & Credit Card

Free Wifi: Not Available

Parking: Mall parking

Address:

Virra Mall
Unit 117-121 G/F Virra Mall
Greenhills Shopping Center
San Juan, Metro Manila
Philippines
Tel: 63 - (02) - 570-6912, 570-6910

Peking Garden (Specialty: DUCK!)

Thanks to my friends I was able to discover this restaurant.  We started talking about how delicious Peking Duck is.  My friends said that there's a restaurant here that is as good as the ones found in China.  This intrigued me and I wanted to try it for myself.  My friends definitely have good taste. ;)

This Chinese restaurant is turning into one of my favorites.  They have something other Chinese restaurants can't compare with.  It is their famous Peking Duck.  I've tried both of their branches in Greenbelt 4 & in Trinoma. The Makati branch is usually crowded even on a weeknight, try to make a reservation if you can to prevent disappointment. :D

When you order your Peking Duck, you'll be asked if you want your duck served one way (just the slices) or two ways (the rest of the duck is cooked to your specification).  We usually have it two ways so none of the duck meat is wasted.

Interior in Makati branch

Crowded even on a weeknight. This is on a Tuesday to be exact.

Nice chandelier

Xiao Long Bao

This is a small steamed dumpling with soup inside.  Be careful it's really hot when it comes to your table.  Many tongues have been scalded by this delicious dish, including mine. hahaha :D 

Ginger Sauce for the Xiao Long Bao

Vegetables with mushroom

Seafood Noodles

Sizzling Beef with Onions

Sizzlling Beancurd with Shredded Pork & Vegetables

Hot Prawn Salad

The most anticipated dish. PEKING DUCK!

The duck is prepared by your table side.  The server will fill a platter with slices of the duck meat with skin and the other platter with just the skin. 

Just the skin

Duck slices

Pancake wrap & cucumber with onion

Peking duck sauce

Put your duck meat or skin or both then add a cucumber/onion or both again . Finally add some sauce to your pile. :D

All wrapped up.  Tada!  Ready to eat!!

The rest of the duck is cooked as minced meat with some vegetables

Another delightful way to enjoy your duck.

Lettuce Wrap

Put the minced meat in the lettuce then add some sauce.  Yummy!

It's good to know if we start to have a craving for Peking Duck there's a restaurant here that can satisfy it. 


Remember: Eat Live and Be Happy!


Price Range: P500 - P1000

* Whole duck will cost you P2300++

Here's a tip:  If you are eating as a small group & can't finish a whole duck, try to inform the captain that you would like to order half of the Peking Duck.  The captain will try to find another table who is also willing to order half.  This way you get to have your duck & within the budget.  Try to go there early so the captain can be on the look out for other tables trying to order half of the Peking Duck.  But remember the restaurant can't always accommodate this request.

Payment: Accepts both Cash & Credit Card

Free Wifi: Not Available

Parking: Mall parking

Address:

Greenbelt 5
4/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center
Makait City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Tel: 63 - (02) - 729-0567

Trinoma
3/F Trinoma, EDSA cor. North Ave.
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Tel: 63 - (02) - 901-0531

Vikings: A Feast for the Tummy & the Eyes

As a food lover, I'm always on the look out for new places to eat.  I've been seeing (actually eyeing, hahaha) the Vikings Buffet sign since last year whenever we go to the Mall of Asia.  I can't wait to try it out as soon as it opens.  Alas, when it finally did open it seems that I'm not fated to sample their fares right away.  The place is usually full when we get the chance pass by.  


One Friday morning I was invited to a birthday celebration of my uncle and it was to be held at Vikings!  YES!  I finally got the chance to check it out.  It was on a  Friday lunch when I first had a taste of Vikings.  They have a wide variety of cuisine & food choices.  There's Japanese, Chinese, International, a grilling station, a salad bar, different kinds of soup, a pizza station, a carving station & of course the dessert section.  Drinks are even included in the buffet price.  They have an assortment of juices & soda.  To my surprise, draft beer is also available at the refreshment station.

The Viking Table

Baked Oysters

 We had to request them from the waiter.  You can have them baked, steamed or ask the waiter how you would like to have your oysters prepared.  Usually raw oysters are found on the buffet table.

Beef

Carving Station

Other meat on the carving station

Fish

Lengua

Paella

Salmon Lasagna

I remember eating this and it was quite salty for me.

During my first visit, I tried to sample dishes that are my favorites or have never tasted before.  There's so much food I'm afraid you can't try every single one of them in just one visit.  Most of the dishes are well seasoned.  The taste, quantity & quality of the food are almost at par with a lot of five star hotels but at a more reasonable price.  Since I enjoyed my experience at Vikings, I told my friends to try it out.  I actually went back a few times with my friends or family, but I was more focused on eating & chatting than taking notes or pictures of the dishes I sampled. 

\('o')/

Last month there were two birthday celebrants at the office.  Management then decided to celebrate their birthdays at Vikings.  This time it gave me an opportunity to take more pictures of the place & dishes.  We got to try Vikings for dinner this time.  The price is higher than the lunch price since they have additional dishes available only for dinner.

Ceiling Lights

Table Napkin

Our table number

Viking table at night

The other end of the table

Salad Station

Assorted Cheese

Ceviche

Club House Sandwich

Deviled Egg

Chinese Soup, Chawan, & Miso Soup

Lohan Mixed Vegetables

Man Tou (Fried Bread)

This is one of my favorites :D  No matter where, fried bread with condensed milk is heaven.

Siomai

Stir fried squid with vegetables

Yang Chao fried rice

Pata Tim

PEKING DUCK!!

Notice the vegetable carving is that of a roasted pig? So cute!

Sushi Boat

I had some difficulty taking this picture.  Lots of hands kept grabbing all the sushi!

Sushi Rainbow

Lengua (sorry not much was left when I took a picture)

Paella

Grill Station

Raw fish for grilling

Hmmm, there's a sign.  Better take a closer look.

Please, no leftover :D

Long line to the carving station >.<

Looks like they're sold out!

Cakes

Chocolate Fondue

Dessert display case

Native Desserts

Halo Halo Station

My halo halo creation 

The two birthday celebrants got to be serenaded by the waiters & staff with a boisterous happy birthday song.  Each of them received a special cake for them to take home.  I enjoyed my dinner at Vikings.  Who wouldn't be with good food & good company.  I think this isn't going to be my last visit.  I believe they added something extra during the weekend.  ;)  Until next time.

Remember: Eat Live and Be Happy!

Price Range:
Lunch : P688 ++
Dinner: P888 ++

Payment: Accepts both Cash & Credit Card

Free Wifi:  Available but can't connect 

Parking: Mall parking & Outdoor parking

Address:

Bldg. B, By the Bay,
Seaside Boulevard,
SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City
Philippines
Tel: 63 - (02) - 846 - 3888, 846 - 5888
Cellfone: +639175653888, +639237303888